Shelby Shopper Shelby NC
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Page 24 - shelby shopper & info - 704/484-1047 www.shelbyinfo.com Thursday, April 4-April 10, 2019 Converting garages into liveable spaces Transforming a garage into a living space can add several hundred square feet to a home. W ould you like to become a N.C. Cooperative Extension Master Gardener? Cleveland County Extension will offer classes in 2019. The Extension Master Gardener program is an educational program designed to enhance public education in consumer horticulture. It provides educational assistance to the citizens of the county concerning lawns, fruits, vegetables, trees, and ornamentals through the utilization of a trained and supervised volunteer staff. Under the guidance and support of Extension agents, selected residents of a county enter a specially designed training program in horticulture. Participants in the program must complete the training program, pass an examination, and volunteer a minimum of 40 hours per year (20 hours in subsequent years) through the local Cooperative Extension Center. The Extension Master Gardener program allows the local Extension to extend education to an ever increasing gardening audience. It also provides the local center with a highly visible way to meet the public demand for information and to develop a strong clientele support group. North Carolina Cooperative Extension increasingly utilizes trained Master Gardener volunteers to meet the constant demand for consumer horticulture information by the citizens of our state. Seventy three counties offer the Extension Master Gardener program. Many of our county programs are relatively new. There are currently over 3,000 active Master Gardener volunteers. If you would like to become an Extension Master Gardener, you will need to fi ll out, (fi nd the form here: https:// cleveland.ces.ncsu.edu/master-gardener- classes) print and return the 2019 Master Gardener Application to: Extension Master Gardener 130 S. Post Road, Suite 1 Shelby, NC 28152 For more information call Julie Flowers 704-482-4365 or 704-922-2104. 2019 Class Dates: August – 20, 22, 27, 29 September – 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26 Each class will run from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Cost is $55.00. By N.C. Cooperative Extension Cleveland County Extension Master Gardener volunteer classes for 2019 S pring cleaning is a ritual in many homes, though some might be forgetting to address an area of their homes that can be especially vulnerable to insect infestations. According to PestWorld. org, kitchen cabinets and pantries used to store spices and baking items, such as fl our, can make for inviting hideouts for various types of pests. These unwelcome guests include beetles, Indian meal moths and ants. To remedy this issue or prevent insects from becoming an issue, discard stale spices or dated baking items. Once such items have been removed from the cabinets and pantry and discarded, wipe down the interior of the spaces before installing fresh shelf paper. If the critters didn't make their presence known in the cabinets, that doesn't mean they haven't made your kitchen home over the winter. Some might have opted to spend their winters behind appliances, including the stove and the refrigerator. As a result, it's best to pull these appliances off the wall each spring, sweeping or vacuuming the dust and crumbs you fi nd before mopping the fl oors. Did you know... M any people decide to upgrade from their apartments or condominiums out of a need for more space. But even after moving into a new home, homeowners may soon begin to outgrow the room they have. Rather than looking for a new home, some homeowners consider expansion. Expanding a living space can be expensive, and a more affordable option may be converting existing basement or garage space into something more livable. Garages already are built on a foundation, have four walls and a roof overhead, so a garage-conversion project is merely a matter of turning this utilitarian area into a living space. Before beginning the renovation, homeowners should consider the benefi ts versus the cost of converting the garage. For those who are planning to grow old in a house, a garage conversion can be a worthy investment. But those who intend to sell their homes rather than retire in them may learn that a converted garage can affect home value and make it less desireable at resale. Compare your home to others in the area and see what your neighbors have done. If converted garages are the norm where you live, your own renovation may fi t in with others. Always apply for the proper permits and learn the zoning laws to see if a garage conversion is acceptable in your town or city. It's best to go by the book so that work can be done in a proper manner and be inspected for safety. Many homeowners hope their garage-conversion projects will make their garages seem like a seamless part of the rest of the house. To do so, you will need to remove evidence the space was once a garage. Slab fl oor will need to be raised and insulated. Walls also will need to be insulated and fi nished to improve comfort and soundproofi ng. Many garages do not have windows, so for the garage to function as a renovated space, windows may need to be added. One of the biggest transformations will come by way of modifying the garage door entry. Some homeowners prefer to leave the existing door so that the home still has the appearance of a garage from the curb, while others remove the garage door and rebuild the exterior wall so that it has a window or another architectural element. An architect can help suggest design elements that will camoufl age the original garage look and make the space seem like it was always part of the main living area of the home. Landscaping work also can minimize the appearance of an old garage. Rather than having the driveway end at the wall of a home, shrubbery, pavers and other techniques can blend the garage renovation into the rest of the yard design. Transforming a garage into a living space can add several hundred square feet to a home. Hire a reputable contractor and follow the municipal guidelines for modifying the space to ensure the job is done right. 506 Lafayette St., Shelby, NC 704-482-4405 ShelbyHardwareandSupply.com • Ladies Gloves • Brooms • Mops • Cleaning Supplies BAGS & BELTS FOR BAGS & BELTS FOR • Oreck • Bissell • Panasonic • Hoover • Eureka Hours: M-F 7:30am-5:30pm • Sat. 8 am-1pm Shelby Hardware / Spring Cleaning NOW OFFERING Bagged Vauum Cleaners, Bags & Belts Store Hours: Tuesday - Friday 9:30 am - 5:30 pm • Saturday 9:30 am - 1:00 pm 130 W. Graham St., Shelby, NC 704-480-1899 FUTURE ENERGY CO. FUTURE ENERGY CO. Daniel Boone Daniel Boone Edition Edition